A nationally representative survey of 2,000 UK adults, conducted by Opinium between 24 and 28 November 2023 for the Warm This Winter campaign, found that 29% of the UK population, or 15.4 million people, experience mould in their homes frequently or occasionally, and that 10%, or 5.3 million people, experience mouldy living conditions frequently1. Population estimates were based on ONS projections of adults aged 18 and over for mid-2021, a UK adult population of 53,188,2041.
The same research found that around 850,000 people, 9.6% of those who have a child under six or who are pregnant, or whose partner is pregnant, are exposed to mould frequently, rising to 3.4 million people, 38%, with frequent or occasional exposure in that group2. The figures show 3.4 million people with frequent or occasional exposure to mould who have a child under six or who are pregnant1.
Among major cities, the research reports a geographic split, with cities in the west of the UK significantly more likely to report the conditions1:
| City | Mould frequently or occasionally | Frequently |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 42% | 19% |
| Plymouth | 36% | 14% |
| Manchester | 35% | 16% |
| London | 32% | 10% |
| Leeds | 31% | 10% |
| Bristol | 31% | 4% |
| Sheffield | 30% | 11% |
| Glasgow | 29% | 14% |
| Liverpool | 29% | 13% |
| Birmingham | 29% | 8% |
| Belfast | 26% | 10% |
| Southampton | 24% | 10% |
| Newcastle | 23% | 6% |
| Brighton | 22% | 14% |
| Nottingham | 22% | 6% |
| Edinburgh | 18% | 2% |
| Norwich | 12% | 2% |
The campaign links damp and mould to mould spores and other toxins harmful to health, and notes that excessive moisture can lead to the growth of mould and other fungi, certain house dust mites, bacteria or viruses1. It states that the solutions to mouldy damp homes are insulation and better energy efficiency of buildings, as well as access to cheaper renewable energy1.
"Vulnerable households, including young families and expectant mothers, are struggling because of Ministers' failure to provide emergency financial assistance this winter and longer term failures to invest in the permanent solutions to fuel poverty, such as insulation and reform of energy pricing."
Fiona Waters, spokesperson for the Warm This Winter campaign, said families are feeling the squeeze from every direction, with the poorest and most vulnerable bearing the brunt of energy bills that will be increasing again in January1. John McGowan, General Secretary of the Social Workers Union, said social workers report families struggling in living conditions more like Victorian novels than modern day Britain1.
Why it matters for households
Mould in a home is usually a symptom of a cold, poorly ventilated or underheated property, so the survey figures describe how many households are living in conditions where damp has taken hold. For a household, that connects directly to energy independence: the ability to keep a home warm and dry without spending more than necessary. The campaign's stated permanent solutions, insulation and better energy efficiency, are measures that reduce the heat a home loses, while the health effects described, including risks to young children and pregnant women, are set out in the NHS guidance the campaign cites1. The damp, mould and respiratory illness guide covers the health link in more detail, and older people and home energy sets out why some households face higher risks.
What happens next
The campaign states that energy bills will be increasing again in January1. No further dated steps are given in the published material. The End Fuel Poverty Coalition's calls for an Emergency Energy Tariff and a Help To Repay scheme have not been reported as adopted.
Sources2 cited
- Households at risk from mould in cold damp homes crisis, endfuelpoverty.org.uk
- Chilling figures show children at risk from mould, endfuelpoverty.org.uk